Rolling Rockies Go Home 2-0: Blow Lead in 9th but Prevail in 11th on Bases-Loaded Walk

Oct 13, 01:40 PM

Current Headlines: By Mark Gonzales, Chicago Tribune

Oct. 13--PHOENIX -- The task of playing pressure-packed games on the road appeals to Colorado.

Willy Taveras' diving catch in the seventh inning and bases-loaded walk in the 11th gave the Rockies a 3-2 victory over Arizona for their 10th consecutive road victory and a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven National League Championship Series.

"We find ways to win [on the road]," said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, whose team has won 19 of its last 20 games. "That has played out well this season."

No team in NLCS history has come back to win a series after falling behind 0-2 at home. "We've come back from difficult circumstances before," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said.

Taveras' bases-loaded walk came with two outs off Diamondbacks closer Jose Valverde, who was starting his second inning. The rally started when pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs hit a 60-foot single up the third-base line, and Valverde loaded the bases on two walks.

The winning run snapped a streak of 17 scoreless innings by Arizona relievers in the postseason.

You've got to go with your best," Melvin said of his decision to stick with Valverde.

Colorado was two outs away from winning the game in the ninth before closer Manny Corpas hit Chris Young on a 1-2 count with one out. Stephen Drew's single moved Young to third, and left fielder Eric Byrnes hit a slow grounder to second.

Kazuo Matsui's high flip pulled shortstop Troy Tulowitzki off the second base bag, wiping out any chance of a double play and allowing Young to score the tying run. But Drew trotted off the field, unaware that he was safe, and he was eventually tagged out.

Before the ninth, Rockies relievers had allowed one earned run in 17 postseason innings. They were aided in the seventh when Taveras made a diving catch of Tony Clark's drive to right-center with the tying run at first.

Former Sox pitcher Josh Fogg will oppose Arizona's Livan Hernandez in Sunday night's Game 3 at Coors Field.

Before Friday's game, Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin compared left-hander Doug Davis' deliberate style to Muhammad Ali's rope-a-dope boxing tactics.

Davis needed 106 pitches to get through five innings, but he limited the Rockies to two runs despite allowing five hits and walking four in a game that took 4 hours 26 minutes to play.

The Rockies' first run was set up when Todd Helton hit a hard grounder through the legs of third baseman Mark Reynolds. Helton scored on singles by Brad Hawpe and Yorvit Torrealba.

Colorado finally took advantage of Davis' control problems in the fifth, as Taveras drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on Matsui's single. Taveras' speed enabled him to score on two flies hit to Byrnes, who tumbled each time after unsuccessfully trying to nail him.

Tulowitzki, however, contributed with his foot in the third. After Young's single scored Davis to tie the game at 1-1, Young got an exceptional jump on a steal attempt and appeared to reach second in plenty of time.

But Tulowitzki's foot was planted in front of the bag and in front of Young's hand. Umpire Tom Hallion called Young out, igniting boos from the fans, many still upset over an obstruction call that stunted an Arizona rally in a 5-1 loss in Game 1.

Extra innings

On the eve of their organizational meetings, the White Sox faced the possibility of losing one of their top ranking officials. Vice president/assistant general manager Rick Hahn interviewed Friday in Jupiter, Fla., for the vacant GM position with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hahn has served as the Sox's assistant GM since 2002. He wasn't at an Arizona Fall League game Wednesday night in Mesa attended by 11 team officials and scouts but was en route to Arizona for the start of the organizational meetings.

St. Louis' selection of its next GM could dictate whether former Sox manager Tony La Russa returns for his 13th season with the Cardinals. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that team officials have discussed the position with assistant GMs Peter Woodfork of Arizona and Chris Antonetti of Cleveland, but neither has had an in-person interview because of their teams' involvement in the postseason.

mgonzales@tribune.com

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